Secret Broadcast recently filmed a music video featuring the band performing at a Cat Birthday Party. Yes, a cat birthday party. All of the cats and kittens in the video are recent rescue cats from Toronto Cat Rescue. To us, it doesn’t matter the band is from Toronto, but that it gives the idea anyone can assist with their local pet cause. But since this IS the Northwest Music Scene, read further.

But first check out the official music video for Secret Broadcast’s song ‘More Than Friends’ from the album ‘Filthy Souls’, released via eOne Music Canada (C) 2014

The band teamed up with Toronto Cat Rescue to film a cat birthday party. There were many kittens running amok, eating cake, riding in cars and dressed to the nines.

‘More Than Friends’

With its new album Filthy Souls, has Secret Broadcast arrived to rescue rock n’ roll?

Not that the genre is necessarily on life support, but there has been a definite shortage in the number of intense, guitar-driven melodic rock bands who actually write accessible songs that matter; topically universal songs that make you think, feel and move.

Singer, guitarist and songwriter Matt Lightstone, who anchors the Toronto-based tandem with drummer Keith Heppler, kept that objective in mind when writing the dozen songs for this record.

And that vision was secured with the feather-in-their-cap recruitment of Seattle-based, 3-time Grammy-winning producer Adam Kasper (Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Queens Of The Stone Age, Soundgarden.)Secret Broadcast used Kasper’s 66 Trini Lopez Gibson for most of the songs, which was used by Soundgarden on their latest record.

“Working with Adam was incredible,” says Lightstone. “He’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet and he really pushed us to get the most out of every song. He had a lot of great ideas and encouraged us to record the songs live, which I think helps make it sound like a rock record. We captured most of the basic tracks off-the-floor in one or two takes and I think you can feel the energy in the room when you listen back.”

“Filthy Souls” was recorded at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle. Nirvana recorded their final recording, ‘You Know You’re Right’ there. Dave Grohl recorded the first Foo Fighters record there, and Death Cab for Cutie, Alice in Chains have also recorded there.

“Filthy Souls is a new beginning for us, a rock album that is the closest to our artistic vision that we’ve ever achieved.” – Secret Broadcast

“Adam is one of our favorite producers so I sent him an email expressing our interest in working with him, but didn’t expect much to come of it,” admits Lightstone. “He got back to us after listening to our EP and a few demos and said he was really excited about what we were doing and suggested that we fly out to Seattle and record with him at Robert Lang Studios”.

For Lightstone, this was a trip to Mecca: Lang was where Nirvana recorded their last song, “You Know You’re Right,” before Cobain committed suicide in 1994, and the site where ex-Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl continued his career with the Foo Fighters’ first record.

But just to be clear: Secret Broadcast sounds nothing like Nirvana. Secret Broadcast sounds like Secret Broadcast, a band that has cut its teeth on the live circuit opening for Metric, Matthew Good, Tokyo Police Club and The Stills.

On one of the final nights, Adam was really excited about how fast Secret Broadcast were recording everything and asked them if they had any other tunes that they might want to record. The band told him that they did a cover of Nirvana’s Breed and his face lit up. They ended up recording it in two takes and he later told them that they were standing in the same spots that Kurt, Dave and Krist were when they recorded in the room.

I’ve long admired Secret Broadcast for not taking themselves seriously, but taking music very seriously. When the opportunity arose to sign them, I literally jumped at the chance, and they have never disappointed me with their eagerness to connect with their audience through social media and at their live shows. - Eric Alper(eOne Music Canada)

Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King, one of the most talented guitar tandems in any genre, will celebrate the release of their latest studio album, Fat Man's Shine Parlor, in Seattle on Sunday March 15th at Highway 99 Blues Club.